Vehicle door surface protecting shield



April 28, 1953 N. E. TEDDER 2,636,209

VEHICLE DOOR SURFACE PROTECTING SHIELD Filed on. 16, 1950 Im'entor Norman Edward Tedder WWW Patented Apr. 28, 1953 o err-1mm VEHICEE DUDE "SURFACE PRIYT151 C.IING' SHIELD NormanrEdward :Teddfli', fE-ulsa,-'flkla.

"Appucaoomoetobems, 1950;:strfirnd.#190300 This inveIItiQnrEIates-to =socalled antorrio'r'rive accessories "and attachments and has inoremarticdlan reference to a novel'- and iimproved-shield which is eXpre'ssl-y designed and adapted 'to cover and'protect a vulnerable surface Old-$11 automob'ile'oz' =other-vehic'le door-,Whereloy-to prevent th'e surface-frombecoming defaced.

II-t isamatterof commonqznowledgeithatad'oor surface in close proximity to the' exteri'or door handle is'oftemaccidentalls marred by scratches. That is to say, it is not unusual to trace scratches to finger' rings. Often mien"one-catches hold' of the door handleto1operatedtga ring on the finger may strike and soar the highly polished surface betweenlthe .handle and door. Then, too, 'loose keys ionikeyJin'gs also accountfor minorlscars. It; iis i therefore the object of 'the'iinstan't inventi'onilto .provide a simple; practical and romamntalishield w'hicn'maybe readily applied and thus interposed" between "the" handle and the stated vulnerable door surface, said shield functioning as a protector for the surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide a suitably constructed shield in which manufacturers, users and others will find their expected needs fully met, contained and successfully available.

More specifically, the invention has to do with an ornate shield which is neat, unusually simple in construction, and which may be applied by merely boring a hole in the door to accommodate a retaining clip carried by the reverse side of the shield.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure l is a side elevational view showing the exterior side of an automobile or equivalent vehicle door showing the handle and also showing the improved shield, the manner in which it is constructed and applied.

Figure 2 is a View similar to Figure 1 with the shield appearing in dotted lines and showing the keeper hole which is formed in the door to accommodate the stated clip.

Figure 3 is a central vertical section on the plane of the line 33 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure l is a horizontal section on the line 44 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

5 l The haiidl'e opera'tes the usadFlatchK Referring now to thearswmgs bwnumereis oral: wand,- iritable sheet ntcurs ootnersurrace .ezwam:

which itrm tonatl yienacts; 'Hinererorarwhsm'the plate is applied it is in direct metal-to-metal contact with the surface l2. Further, the plate is of an area or size so that it will underlie and accommodate the sweep of the hand grip In. Assuming that the hand grip I0 is normally in a horizontal plane, the upper portion of the plate projects above the handle and the lower portion projects below the handle, as shown to advantage in Figure 1. The projecting lower portion need not be necessarily wide and, by preference, is formed with a gradually narrowing and ornamental appendage l8. Marginally, the plate is of a predetermined outline or configuration whereby it is thus both ornate and appealing in appearance. The marginal edges 26 are turned to form a smoothly contoured, circumscribing flange. This prevents the presence of undesirable sharp edges. The upper edge portion, the widest part, is formed with a lateral adapter lip 22, as best shown in Figure 3. Also as here shown, the lip projects underneath and preferably between the usual door bead 24 and the surface of the door. This constitutes one retaining device for the shield. The other device is in the form of a resilient metal U-shaped retainer clip 26 which, as best shown in Figure 4, has its bight portion welded or otherwise secured to the reverse side of the appendage I8 and which has substantially V-shaped opposed fingers 2828 to releasably engage in a keeper hole 30 provided in the door panel 32. It will be necessary, in practice, to bore a hole in the panel 32 to provide the stated keeper hole, this as is obvious. By thus providmg retaining means at the top and also at the bottom portion, the shield will be efiectively applied and satisfactorily retained in place.

With the shield interposed between the hand grip and surface 12 of the door 6 and located in proper relationship in respect to the swingable hand grip ID, the aforementioned vulnerable surface will be aptly shielded and guarded with the result that said surface will be protected against marring at all times.

It is to be mentioned that the shield may also be utilized as an ornament and may be engraved with a crest, insignia, or monogram.

The pattern, size and bent contour will vary to meet the requirements of automobile door surfaces of varying forms.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and within the scope of the appended invention, what is rubbing and marring the surface when actuating said handle, said shield conforming to the surface contours immediately contacted thereby and having its obverse surface exteriorly chromium plated, said shield being provided at its upper end with a lateral adapter and retaining lip interposed between said molding and the adjacent portion of said exterior surface and having its lower end provided with resilient detents projecting into said keeper hole, whereby said shield is interlocked with said door.

2. As a new article of manufacture, an escutcheon-like shield for covering and protecting a given surface of a vehicle door within the vicinity of the usual handle of said door, said shield being in the form of a rigid plate having its marginal edges laterally bent to make direct contact with and conform to the contours of said door, the obverse side of said plate being noncorrosive and scratch-resistant, spring prong means secured to the reverse side of said shield and projecting laterally therefrom and adapted to be anchored in a keeper hole provided therefor in said door, and the upper marginal edge having a retention lip coextensive with the width of the plate and adapted to interlock with the existing moulding on said door, whereby said shield is independent of and solely supported by way of said door.

NORMAN EDWARD TEDDER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,810,510 Winne June 16, 1931 1,888,729 Lefevre Nov. 22, 1932 1,896,590 Place Feb. 7, 1933 2,467,001 Allen Apr. 12, 1949 2,489,072 Ausubel Nov. 22, 1949 

